The Sword

The Sword is an American heavy metal band from Austin, Texas. Formed in 2003, the band is currently composed of vocalist and guitarist John D. Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie and drummer Santiago "Jimmy" Vela III.

Originally signed to Kemado Records, the group released its debut album Age of Winters in 2006, the material for which had been largely written by Cronise (who also produced the album) prior to the band's formation. Read more on Last.fm

The Sword on Thrash Hits

July 16th, 2013

In the third of our Download Festival 2013 mini-podcasts, we talk to Kyle Shutt from The Sword, and the one and only Vinnie Paul from Hellyeah (and, of course, formerly of Pantera) about just what it is that makes their home state of Texas so great.

June 19th, 2013

You know the drill by now. This is the Thrash Hits Festival Splash Page and this is where you’ll find some of the most comprehensive coverage of Download Festival 2013 that you don’t have to pay for. It’s here!

June 15th, 2013

There’s not a great deal at Download Festival 2013 if you’re a fan of stoner desert metal, but those Texans from The Sword did a damn fine job representing their genre over on the third stage at Donington this year.

May 6th, 2011

Austin stoner metallers, The Sword have just released the third video of their Warp Riders Trilogy and are about to tour the UK. Totally related to this, you can win a crazy hexagonal vinyl thing that will play ‘(The Night the Sky Cried) Tears of Fire’ on it if you put it in your record player. Fancy. Win it. Watch the video. Go see them play. Standard.

September 14th, 2010

Hmm, yeah. The Sword’s third album came out a while ago, didn’t it? I wasn’t in a particular rush to review it – hell, the kind of riff the Texan’s specialise in are so old they’ve been salted, pickled and vacuum-packed – but part of my reasoning was that The Sword have the unenviable title of The Only Band Who’s Live Show Actually Sent Me Literally To Sleep.

March 20th, 2009

Austin, Texas. That’s where everyone is this week at SxSW festival. We mean EVERYONE. Even Metallica are there doing a “secret show” that’s about as secret as the secret that beer makes you drunk.

The Sword are from Austin. The Sword have been touring with Metallica and now they’re re-releasing Gods Of The Earth and Age Of Winters in a fancy boxset package thing on April 6th. There’s a sticker in there too.